Saint James of Alphaeus the Apostle
Date of celebration: 09/10
Saint James of Alphaeus was one of the twelve disciples of the Lord, brother of Matthew the evangelist and son of Alphaeus. James, after fighting for the truth of Christ in Jerusalem, then went to other countries to preach the Gospel.
There, he destroyed the altars of the idols and with the grace of God he cured diseases and cast out unclean spirits. That is why the pagans called him the divine sperm.
The sweat, toils and dangers he suffered for the spread of the Gospel were many. Death came close to him many times, but in Jacob’s mind the encouraging words of the Lord dominated, “whoever wants to follow me, deny myself and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark, v. 34).
He who wants to follow me as my true disciple, says the Lord, should renounce his sin-corrupted self, and make the decision to suffer for me not only sorrow and trial, but even death on the cross. And then let him follow me, imitating my example. Thus also James, imitating his Master, suffered death on the cross.
